GREAT SOUTH ROAD.

Waikato Times, Volume 109, Issue 18350, 9 June 1931, Page 6

GREAT SOUTH ROAD.

RANGIRIRI HILLS WORK. HIGHWAYS BOARD DEMANDS. COUNTY COUNCIL OPPOSITION. Opposition to a request from the Main Highways Board that the Council should contribute £O4O annually towards the cost of maintaining the portion of the Great South Road over the Rangiriri Hills was expressed at the Waikato County Council meeting to-day.

Mr F. S. Dyson, of the Main Highways Board, wrote stating that the board could see no good reason why the Council should not contribute £49 per mile per annum towards the cost of maintenance of the Great South Road over the Rangiriri Hills—a total of £640 a year. He pointed out, inter alia, that Irrespective of the amount spent by the Public Works Department the Board had spent substantial sums on the construction of the road the fixed charges on which were many times greater than the annual contribution asked for from the council. The council itself had no liability regarding construction. All the widening between Ohinewai and Ngaruawahia had been done on a free basis by the board, the county being asked merely to contribute towards the cost of surfacing. The fact that the road formed part of an important arterial highway and that the preponderance of traffic was foreign to the Waikato County did not preclude the county from liability to contribute towards the cost of maintenance.

It was stated that £4O per mile per annum for which the county was being asked was approximately the same as the average amount provided by the county for maintenance of its internal roads during 1929-1930. He added that the council would have no liability regarding fixed charges on capital expenditure on the Rangiriri Hills. On the basis of the contracts which had been let the work should be done for about £31,150, on which the county's share was £7787 as against an estimate of £37,150 on which the share of the county would have been £9287, or a saving to the council of £ISOO. Five Years’ Grace. The chairman, (Mr T. Hinton) reminded the council that the Highways Board had presented the council with three substantial bridges on its section of the road. He thought, however, that the board should carry the maintenance of the road for at least another five years since the county council was having great difficulty in collecting'’ rates. Cr. G. Smith concurred.

Cr. G. M. Watt opposed the council contributing to maintenance of the section on the grounds that it was already involved in heavy expenditure on other parts of the Great South Road.

The chairman: If we don’t pay they will stop our subsidies. Cr. T. Henderson considered the council should refuse to pay whether the subsidies were stopped or not. They should appeal to the Government.

A member: The Government say they have nothing to do with the Highways Board. Cr. Henderson: Well, who is ruling the country—-the Government or the Highways Board? The chairman moved that the council earnestly request the Highways Board to relieve it from payment of maintenance on the Rangiriri Hills for the next five years.

Cr. Watt agreed with the motion providing the council was not definitely committed to contribution in flvo years’ time. The engineer (Mr A. A. Woodward) remarked that in 10 years the council would have paid off the principal on loan on the road and would be In a better position to contribute but it was difficult to prediot the position in five years’ time. Cr. Smith: We’ll have derating and all sorts of things by then. Cr J. A. Sampson objected to the Highways Board bringing up the matter of the saving effected In the contract. This was purely, a matter of luck and the amount saved In any case would have to bo expended as the council had committed itself to a new bridge over the Mangawara at Taupiri. The motion was carried.